The following question has been received from Mrs Pearse:

“What annual revenue is the Council expecting to receive from the decision to charge for collection of additional green bins as outlined in the Summer 2017 About Watford magazine?”

A question had been received from Mrs Pearse, which was included on the agenda.

Mrs Pearse asked what additional annual revenue the council expected to receive by charging for green bins as outlined in the summer 2017 About Watford magazine.

Councillor Taylor, Portfolio Holder for Client Services, thanked Mrs and Mr Pearse for coming to the meeting and writing in with the question.  He advised that it had been calculated that it would raise £30,000 per annum.  He reminded council that everyone was entitled to one green lidded bin and there would be no charge.  The scheme would only affect those people who had more than one green bin.  He was aware of one household which had 11 green bins.  The question was whether the council should subsidise those with many green bins when the council’s finances were under great pressure.

The Chairman invited Mrs Pearse to pose a supplementary question if she wished to do so.

Mrs Pearse referred to the article in About Watford.  She said that the majority of Watford residents would consider the most vital service the council provided was a clean environment and the disposal of general and recyclable waste.  Council Tax was paid to provide this service.  She noted the ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ article.  It mentioned that less waste going to landfill was better for the environment.  People who recycled their waste were saving the council money.  The article had said that 670 tonnes of green waste had been collected in two months.  Based on a disposal rate of £86 per tonne, this would save the council £58,000 for two months or £350,000 for the year.  She considered this to be a saving to the council.  Those residents who recycled the most saved the council money; they were now to be charged an additional green bin tax. 

Mrs Pearse said her supplementary question was to ask what additional tonnage the council anticipated would go to landfill as a consequence of this environmentally damaging and short-sighted decision to tax additional green bins.

Councillor Taylor thanked Mrs Pearse for her additional question.  He advised that Watford Borough Council was the only Hertfordshire local authority that still provided a weekly waste and recycling collection.  He considered it to be an excellent service.  Half of Hertfordshire’s authorities charged for all green waste collection, including Three Rivers District Council.  He said that tough decisions had to be made and the council had to consider various options, including whether to reduce the frequency of collections or charge those who had many green bins.  When looking at other authorities, for example Three Rivers, the take up had been much higher than officers had anticipated.  People had continued to use the service as it was convenient and represented good value for money.  The decision had not been taken lightly.  He felt that people should be proud of the fact that Watford was the only Hertfordshire council which still provided weekly recycling and waste collections.  Also Watford was one of half of Hertfordshire’s authorities who provided a free green waste collection.  This was a service the council was not legally required to provide to residents.